That’s Intriguing #76: What is The E.Y.E.B.R.O.W. Test®?

Do you ever:

• Find people aren’t really listening when you’re talking to them?
• Have a tough time explaining your ideas?
• Notice that what you’re saying seems to be going in one ear, out the other?
• Get frustrated because you can’t get across the value or urgency of
what you care about in a way other people get it and want it?

If so, join the club.

We’re taught math, science and history in school – but we’re not taught how to capture people’s attention and quickly communicate what we care about so other people care about it.

As a result, our priorities and projects may not succeed at the level at which they deserve because we’re not able to win buy-in from key decision-makers.

Want good news?

There’s a solution to this. It’s called The E.Y.E.B.R.O.W. Test®.

It’s both a method for:

1. BEING more intriguing in the first crucial 60 seconds when people are making up their mind whether we’re worth the valuable time.

2. TESTING how intriguing we are so we know whether we’re capturing people’s attention.

Here’s how I discovered The Eyebrow Test®.

Several years ago, I was asked to be on the closing panel of an international conference held over New Years.

Pulitzer Prize winners, astronauts, CEO’s and Nobel physicists were on the panel, so I was excited about this opportunity.

The challenge? I had two minutes max to share my insight with the group.

I skipped the New Years’ celebration the night before the panel to prepare.

My son Andrew (founder of Ability List – http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/yeas-nays/2012/01/andrew-horn-launch-abilitylistcom/2105891) came back to our hotel room after midnight only to find me still up, working on my remarks.

“Whazzup, Mom?”

“Well, I’ve got something to say, but I know it’s not special.”

“Do what you always tell me to do when my brain’s fried. Get up early in the morning and tackle it when you’re fresh.”

“Good advice, Andrew. Thanks.” I set the alarm for 6 am and went to study the inside of my eyelids.

The next morning, I headed downstairs to search for some caffeine to kick-start my creativity.

I turned around after getting my coffee and bumped into a petite powerhouse who was wearing big red, round glasses. I smiled at her and said, “Happy New Year.”

She looked at me, eyes bright, and said, “Start to finish.”

My eyebrows went up at this unexpected response. I was instantly intrigued. “How did you come up with that great phrase?”

She said, “Want to sit for a spell and I’ll tell you?”

I had a decision to make. Was I supposed to go back to my room and work on my two minutes – or was Dr. Betty Siegel (President Emeritus of Georgia’s Kennesaw State University) my two minutes?

Suffice it to say, I went with Betty (literally and figuratively).

Betty turned out to be the most intriguing communicator I’ve ever met.

I was on the edge of my seat through our entire conversation. There wasn’t a second I wished I was somewhere else. There wasn’t a moment I was bored, distracted or confused. She was 100% intriguing – from start to finish.

That’s when it occurred to me. Betty had my eyebrows up the entire time she was speaking.

What was it about it about her?

What made her so intriguing?

I had a triple epiphany.

1. Being intriguing is a rare and welcomed attribute.

2. Being intriguing is a learnable skill and can be (and must be) taught.

3. There is a tangible way to test how intriguing we are.

Just watch people’s eyebrows.

If we tell them something and their eyebrows knit or furrow; they didn’t get what we said.

And if they don’t get it, they won’t want it.

And if they don’t get it or want it, we won’t get what we want – their attention, respect, friendship, money or business.

If their eyebrows don’t move at all; it means they’re unmoved. What we said didn’t reach them. It had no impact at all, which means they’re not motivated to give us their valuable time, mind (or dime).

If their eyebrows go UP; it means we got through. They’re engaged, curious. They want to know more … which means what we just said got in their mental door.

Try it right now. LIFT your eyebrows.

Is your attention activated? Do you feel intrigued? Did raising your eyebrows switch you from an apathetic “I don’t care” state to a more engaged “Tell me more” state?

That’s one of the many benefits of the Eyebrow Test®. It’s a tangible way to gauge how intriguing you are anytime you want, for free, in five seconds.

Just:
• Tell someone your elevator speech
• Read them the first paragraph of your book, blog or article
• Watch someone review the homepage of your website
• Share the 60 second opening of your presentation, pitch or panel remarks
• Explain how you’re going to start a staff orientation or committee meeting
• Give an answer to a key question you’ll be asked in an upcoming interview
• Show a potential client your commercial or the first minute of your video

… and watch their eyebrows.

If their eyebrows go up; you’re in business.

If their eyebrows crunch up. It’s back to the drawing board. (Or, as comedian George Carlin said, “What did we go back to before there were drawing boards?”)

The good news is; if you test an upcoming communication and people’s eyebrows don’t go up; I can teach you how to craft a more intriguing opening so they do go up.

There’s a step-by-step process for having people at hello and I’ve developed it.

More importantly, this process – The Eyebrow Test® – is replicable. It’s helped thousands of people create intrigjuing communications that helped them buy-in to their priority projects – whether that was landing millions in funding, securing sponsorship for a non-profit or landing a dream job.

I may be preaching to the choir, but in case you’re still wondering why it’s in your best interests to learn how to be more intriguing … here’s why.

People today are suffering from info-besity.

They’re BBB. Busy. Bored. Been there-heard that.

They don’t want more blah-blah-blah.

They want epiphanies. They want to feel connected.

And they don’t get epiphanies and don’t feel connected from the old-fashioned “Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em; tell ‘em; then tell ‘em what you told ‘em” approach.

As Carrie Fisher said, “instant gratification takes too long.”

By the time we do all that “telling,” people’s eyes are glazed over.

If we want people’s attention; we need to pleasantly surprise them in the first 60 seconds with something intriguing and relevant they didn’t expect.

If we do that, they’ll listen up. They will feel connected and curious.

If we don’t; they won’t be listening; they’ll be waiting for us to stop talking. Or, they’ll be surreptitiously checking their smartphone. Or, they’ll have already mentally moved on.